Deshmukh announces hike in minimum wages to farm labourers

The third and fourth category of labourers would now receive Rs. 48 and Rs. 40 respectively, he added.

The total hike in wages would entail an expenditure of Rs.125 crore for the state government, he said.

The government had also decided to abolish the four per cent sales tax on wall hangings, towels and bedsheets which had been imposed on April 1, 1999. The decision remains effective from the specified date itself, he added.

The current money allocated for development of railways was found inadequate, he said citing various instances where the actual cost of carrying out development works was far beyond the actual provisions in the state budget.

The government had, therefore, decided to carry out a feasibility study to look into the actual expenditure to be incurred to carry out development projects in various sectors of the railway and to provide the much-needed impetus to this sector, he said. The study, which had been handed over to Rites, a subsidiary of the Railways, would also help in removing the current regional imbalances regarding railway routes in various parts of Maharashtra.

Marathwada and Vidharba regions would be given top priority in the state’s budget, he added.